Reception music

So this could be a pretty fun thing. Carrie and I are making up our “please play” and “do NOT play” list for our DJ (Riley). In general, we have every confidence in Riley’s abilities as a DJ, so our “please play” list is probably pretty short – just a few songs that we really love. The “do not play” list is going to be somewhat longer.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to ask you guys to list the songs you hear at weddings that drive you batty, to help us get some ideas. So far, here is what we have:

there’s another line dance one…i had never heard it until going to a wedding in chicago…is it called the chicago slide, perhaps? no wait, the cha cha something. because you cha cha in it.

i just remember it being really long. and the dude in the song actually tells you what moves to do.

that’s so not helpful.

how is “i will survive” a wedding song at all? kind of depressing.

i think you should ban all celine. there’s that other one, “because you loved me” that’s pretty wedding-tastic. and then there are all those duet numbers like “love lift us up where we belong” and “almost paradise,” which straddle the border of annoyingly cheesy and awesomely cheesy. these sorts of numbers are your call. 🙂

“At Last” any version… especially since *everyone* at *every* wedding I’ve been to in the past five years has picked it as the “first dance” song… What pisses me off is that I used to really like that song… now it’s just a horrible cliche…

You’re thinking of the Cha Cha Slide. I think we’re going to let that be the *one* line dance, because, I don’t remember why, but for some reason I remember Riley playing it before, and Carrie knows it from her kids.

I wonder how specific I need to be with some of the cheese factor, because, well, it’s Riley, and he just like, oozes cool, you know? I think I could probably get away mostly by saying “we generally want some good swing and jazz, and some totally danceable rock and roll, and some sweet danceable 80s tunes, but nothing terribly cheesy, and no ‘in the club’ type music, except for JT.”

You’re thinking of the Cha Cha Slide. I think we’re going to let that be the *one* line dance, because, I don’t remember why, but for some reason I remember Riley playing it before, and Carrie knows it from her kids.

I wonder how specific I need to be with some of the cheese factor, because, well, it’s Riley, and he just like, oozes cool, you know? I think I could probably get away mostly by saying “we generally want some good swing and jazz, and some totally danceable rock and roll, and some sweet danceable 80s tunes, but nothing terribly cheesy, and no ‘in the club’ type music, except for JT.”

With the exception of the Titanic crap, Macarena, and the Hokey Pokey, I actually love hearing all those things at weddings, provided it’s a crowd that loves dancing like assholes. But I never said I had class. 😉

With the exception of the Titanic crap, Macarena, and the Hokey Pokey, I actually love hearing all those things at weddings, provided it’s a crowd that loves dancing like assholes. But I never said I had class. 😉

First I was afraid
I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live
without you by my side
But I spent so many nights
thinking how you did me wrong
I grew strong
I learned how to carry on
and so you’re back
from outer space
I just walked in to find you here
with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed my stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had known for just one second
you’d be back to bother me

Go on now go walk out the door
just turn around now
’cause you’re not welcome anymore
weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
you think I’d crumble
you think I’d lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live
I’ve got all my love to give
and I’ll survive
I will survive

It took all the strength I had
not to fall apart
kept trying hard to mend
the pieces of my broken heart
and I spent oh so many nights
just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry
Now I hold my head up high
and you see me
somebody new
I’m not that chained up little person
still in love with you
and so you felt like dropping in
and just expect me to be free
now I’m saving all my loving
for someone who’s loving me

First I was afraid
I was petrified
Kept thinking I could never live
without you by my side
But I spent so many nights
thinking how you did me wrong
I grew strong
I learned how to carry on
and so you’re back
from outer space
I just walked in to find you here
with that sad look upon your face
I should have changed my stupid lock
I should have made you leave your key
If I had known for just one second
you’d be back to bother me

Go on now go walk out the door
just turn around now
’cause you’re not welcome anymore
weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
you think I’d crumble
you think I’d lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I’ve got all my life to live
I’ve got all my love to give
and I’ll survive
I will survive

It took all the strength I had
not to fall apart
kept trying hard to mend
the pieces of my broken heart
and I spent oh so many nights
just feeling sorry for myself
I used to cry
Now I hold my head up high
and you see me
somebody new
I’m not that chained up little person
still in love with you
and so you felt like dropping in
and just expect me to be free
now I’m saving all my loving
for someone who’s loving me

Aw, I am from the land of the chicken dancers and I LOVE the chicken dance. But this is a no kids wedding, right? It’s usually fun for them. Same for the hokey poky. If it’s all adults, play it when everyone’s drunk enough to enjoy it.

I am a big fan of a polka at a wedding. But I am fun like that. I mean nerdy. I mean ridiculous.

I propose that you play something from ‘Saturday Night Fever’ and give mention to Motown/Soul.

Aw, I am from the land of the chicken dancers and I LOVE the chicken dance. But this is a no kids wedding, right? It’s usually fun for them. Same for the hokey poky. If it’s all adults, play it when everyone’s drunk enough to enjoy it.

I am a big fan of a polka at a wedding. But I am fun like that. I mean nerdy. I mean ridiculous.

I propose that you play something from ‘Saturday Night Fever’ and give mention to Motown/Soul.

I also have had requests for Mack The Knife (murder), Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off (looming breakup), They Can’t Take That Away From Me (old breakup), Goody Goody (delighting in the misery of an ex).

Do not under any circumstances let him play the worst worst wedding song ever: In The Mood. Other than that, you’ve covered the ones that make me cringe.

I also have had requests for Mack The Knife (murder), Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off (looming breakup), They Can’t Take That Away From Me (old breakup), Goody Goody (delighting in the misery of an ex).

Do not under any circumstances let him play the worst worst wedding song ever: In The Mood. Other than that, you’ve covered the ones that make me cringe.

I could not agree more with Brickhouse, YMCA, the Chicken Dance/Hokey Pokey, and Cotton Eye Joe. Those were beyond banninated from our wedding. We, however, didn’t trust a DJ to play what we want, let alone what we didn’t want, so ours (my nephew) was provided with all the music. Yeah, we’re control freaks.

I could not agree more with Brickhouse, YMCA, the Chicken Dance/Hokey Pokey, and Cotton Eye Joe. Those were beyond banninated from our wedding. We, however, didn’t trust a DJ to play what we want, let alone what we didn’t want, so ours (my nephew) was provided with all the music. Yeah, we’re control freaks.

If we couldn’t have gotten Riley, I probably would have been just as much of the control freak as you. But like I said before, I have every faith in Riley doing a great job, since the guy just oozes “cool”.

If we couldn’t have gotten Riley, I probably would have been just as much of the control freak as you. But like I said before, I have every faith in Riley doing a great job, since the guy just oozes “cool”.

Riley is rad. I’d have faith in him.
As for horrific, craptastic wedding music, everyone has pretty much covered the bases here. My brothers and I used to discuss our “Satan’s Jukebox” theory- songs we think are looped in hell. I do believe “Crocodile Rock” was on it, as was all showtunes as well as all of the songs everyone else has listed.
I would also suggest that one just can’t play enough Stevie Wonder.

I actualy gave my DJs an Indian Bangra version of “Hot Hot Hot” from the BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM soundtrack, all sung in Hindi except for the title. It wasn’t played. Darn. I love ABBA but “Dancing Queen” is over played at some celabrations. My mom wanted Kenny Rogers songs at the wedding – NOOOOOOOOOO no country and no Celiene Dion! No “My Heart will go On” no no no “Wing Beneath my Wings”!

I actualy gave my DJs an Indian Bangra version of “Hot Hot Hot” from the BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM soundtrack, all sung in Hindi except for the title. It wasn’t played. Darn. I love ABBA but “Dancing Queen” is over played at some celabrations. My mom wanted Kenny Rogers songs at the wedding – NOOOOOOOOOO no country and no Celiene Dion! No “My Heart will go On” no no no “Wing Beneath my Wings”!

Oh and anything from the Greese sountrack – I frikn’ HATE the darmn Greese sountrack – how many gosh darn times can a bunch of drunk women sing “Summer Lovn'” before they fall over dead from teh lazor beams shooting out of my eyes! Arggggggggggggggg!

i made a list for julie and emil… and it took hours longer than i expected because i was really surprised to realize how many pop songs are about conflict and nastiness. i banned from my list any songs about breaking up or you done me wrong, and still had dozens and everyone had a good time.

it just takes thoughfulness and sensitivity. which i’m sure riley has, but it’s something that’s easy to overlook.

btw, i danced with damon stone’s dad to “brick house” at his wedding and it was the funniest wedding moment of all time (ask damon!) — though it may not have been with a different couple and a different family, etc. it’s all relative.

(except i will survive is just plain wrong. sub out “it’s raining men” … it’s the same kind of women’s anthem song, but much more upbeat.)

i made a list for julie and emil… and it took hours longer than i expected because i was really surprised to realize how many pop songs are about conflict and nastiness. i banned from my list any songs about breaking up or you done me wrong, and still had dozens and everyone had a good time.

it just takes thoughfulness and sensitivity. which i’m sure riley has, but it’s something that’s easy to overlook.

btw, i danced with damon stone’s dad to “brick house” at his wedding and it was the funniest wedding moment of all time (ask damon!) — though it may not have been with a different couple and a different family, etc. it’s all relative.

(except i will survive is just plain wrong. sub out “it’s raining men” … it’s the same kind of women’s anthem song, but much more upbeat.)